I love New York City the most in the early morning hours. I’m talking three in the morning, ears ringing after leaving a loud club, swaying in line at a Halal truck, sweat crystallizing on the back of my neck as it hits the cold city air. Even as I write this, those memories are so tangible to me.
Three in the morning is incredible in Manhattan because I look around at the bright lights, and neon billboards, and people still moseying around and realize that this city literally never sleeps. That, to me, is part of what makes the city sensational. Where else can you roll out of a bar at four in the morning and grab breakfast at the diner two hours later? That notion breaks all of the rules, it goes against all common decency and sensibility. It’s remarkable, it’s a free, electric, buzzing high.
But, for me, it’s not just about the ability to drink until I forget my name in the Lower East Side. It’s the culture. It’s seeing damn near every culture on the planet represented in this microcosm of the world. It’s the fortune of having some of the most brilliant museums on the planet be a supplement to my formal education.
I once saw Les Miserables in London and had the fortune of catching up with the dynamic main character of the performance. After chatting with him for a while, my party and I asked him about his goals. Do you know what his dream was? To perform in New York City on Broadway. I think the fact that this forceful actor, who had a leading role in one of the most renowned plays ever, in a top tier city, having a life goal of performing in New York says it all.
Of course, it’s more than just Broadway too. I can wax poetic about the obscene number of small theatrical performances that have moved me to tears, the Shakespearean adaptations which delighted me, and the world class performances that I’ve encountered ranging from professional ballet to Adele live in concert. In fact, my earliest memory of visiting Manhattan from the city of Long Island is seeing Annie live on Broadway at four years old. I fell in love with theater, and all things culture from that point forward. That same day, I also got in trouble for leaving a melted chocolate bar in the van that we rented. I tried to convince my mom that it was NOT in fact chocolate, but shit instead, because I thought it would sound better. But, that’s a story for another day.
As someone with a strong background in education I can comfortably say, there is no greater classroom than New York City. It will teach you anything you need to know, from how the Founding Fathers fought off the British, to the hard knocks lessons like keeping your damn wallet out of your back pocket – especially on the subway.
Cheers,
Stephanie.
Tawk of New Yawk Founder, Developer
Culture Editor, Writer
